1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a button attaching machine having a chute assembly, and more particularly to a device incorporated in the machine for preventing button parts from falling from a detachable intermediate chute of the chute assembly when the intermediate chute is detached.
2. Prior Art
A known button attaching machine has a chute assembly for conveying button parts from a reservoir to a terminal guide leading to a button attaching station. The chute assembly includes an upper chute connected to the reservoir, a lower chute connected to the terminal guide, and an intermediate chute extending between and detachable from the upper and lower chutes. The intermediate chute normally defines jointly with the upper and lower chutes a combined, uninterrupted channel for receiving and transporting a succession of button parts. A primary problem associated with this type of machine is that the button parts are apt to fall out of the chutes when the intermediate chute is detached upon termination of the machine operation, which necessitates added labor to collect the pieces of button parts scattered over the floor.